Silver lining
by Wulfila
Summary: The mission was nothing he expected it to be. To lose all his fellow cadets in one blow... Can Cloud take it? Zack is there for him, but the two of them can't fight back all the monsters. And Genesis's group is missing too... Now Complete!
1. Chapter 1

_He was walking for hours now. Even an inexperienced cadet like him could sense the danger seeping from the forest that surrounded the group. They were in a narrow valley - not really a place to relax in. According to Tactics, the place was simply created for an ambush. Not that some monsters studied Tactics, but still…_

_Suddenly, his ears caught a distant shout. The voice was somehow familiar, but he couldn'__t understand what it said. A person was running to them, waving his hands in warning. Then the forest disappeared in a crackling blue flame, and he felt his body fly. The ground was so hard… His vision blurred with red. And everything went dark._

His body was damn heavy. He supposed that he was dead already, but it still didn't explain the feeling. Was it supposed to be like that? Or it was made up specially for him as a punishment?

-Mhm…

Was it his voice? No, it couldn't be. This one was squeaky and weak. His voice was… He couldn't remember his voice. He never tried to listen to it, but, on the other hand, who would listen to his own voice? _Genesis, probably, would…_

_Huh? Somebody's calling?_

-…d

He listened hard, concentrating with all he had.

-Cl…d

Could it be his name? Was he still alive?

-Cloud!

-Ah…

-Thank God! I examined you, but I'm not a doctor, you know. You just weren't waking up, and I started to get worried.

The man was speaking fast, so it took Cloud several seconds to understand what was said. He also managed to identify the voice. _Zack… _A wave of relief washed through his body, and the boy let out his breath. He didn't even realize he was holding it! But Zack sounded so worried… Cloud had to say something.

-Z…k

His throat refused to work properly, but Cloud was too stubborn to give up that easily. After all, stubbornness helped him to keep his place in the cadet program.

-Zack.

-Hey, buddy! How do you feel? Here, have some water.

-Thanks…

Cloud took Zack's flask and made a slow sip, making a swift look around. They were in a big cave, which was lit by a small fire near the wall. It was dark outside and raining heavily. The SOLDIER sat near the boy, an unusually serious look on his face.

-What has happened? Where are the others?

The older man stood up and went to the mouth of the cave. He leaned against the wall, looking at the falling droplets of water. Cloud didn't like it. Zack was never this gloomy. He was always smiling, no matter what happened! This just wasn't right.

-Listen, Spiky… What do you remember?

-Uh… We were sent on a mission to capture some new monster species for professor Hojo's lab. The Commander's group was sent to the South, and ours went North. We were to go through the valley and up the hills. Major Lewis was paranoid and sent you to check the surroundings every half an hour…

-Sure he did. During the last check, I found a trace of something that could have been our target. It was heading your way, so I went to warn you…

-Oh, I remember you running and screaming something.

-I didn't make it in time…

Zack looked guilty and remorseful. Cloud felt a shiver run down his back. It couldn't be… He quickly scanned the cave once again. There were two or three rifles near the wall, their muzzles bent and melted.

-What do you mean?

-They attacked with some kind of plasm, which wiped the whole valley from the earth's surface. You are the only survivor.

Cloud was dumbfounded. He stared at the older man, trying to find something, anything, that would make it all a joke. A stupid Puppy's joke to shake the teen's balance. Zack's face was stern and solid, his knuckles were white and his whole form was tense.

-No… It's not logical! Someone must have survived! I can't be the only one! I was there with everyone and…and…

-You were damn lucky, you know. I start to think that Gaia loves you, Cloud.

Cloud shook his head, making an even bigger mess of his blond hair. This must have been a dream. All of it. Now he would wake up in his bed and go for breakfast. The boy pinched his hand and shook his head once more. However, when he opened his eyes, he could still see the cave and the dark figure of his friend in a dim light of fire. The flash of lightning painted Zack's face white, and for a moment Cloud was scared of his friend. He shuddered and clutched the uniform material, a muffled sob escaping his lips. His fellow cadets were dead and Zack looked like he was a ghost too. What if in reality Cloud was the _only _survivor, and Zack was just too stubborn a spirit to leave him alone?

-Hey… Come on, Spiky. Don't do that to me. I… I'm really…

-Sorry…I'm so sorry… It shouldn't have been me. I'm useless…and It'd be better if some other guy survived! I…

Cloud's words died out, sobs were choking him, tears running down his cheeks. Suddenly, strong hands circled him, gently pulling closer to the warm chest. The boy clutched at his friend's uniform, listening for the man's heart. He oh so desperately needed to feel that Zack was truly alive! The SOLDIER hugged the blonde closer, letting him check as much as he wanted, giving the boy all the tenderness he could muster.

Soon the boy started to calm down, relaxing in his friend's arms. He felt so safe there he didn't want to ever let go. A sudden peal of thunder almost made him jump, and caused his older companion to smile gently.

Then, on remembering the boy's words, Zack's expression changed to serious again.

-Don't you ever say such things again. Your life is precious and I really don't understand why you think otherwise. You are important, Cloud! So much that when I was waiting for you to wake up, I thought I'd go mad with worry!

-Uh, you didn't have to worry so much really…

-No, I had to! You are dear to me! Why can't you believe that I care?

-Sorry…

Zack sighed, letting it go by now. He would make sure that Cloud reconsidered that stupid idea of him being useless.

-Ne, Zack, what are we going to do now?

-Well… I have a kind of plan for us to get out of here.

-Is it even possible? How are we going to pass the forest full of those freaking monsters?

-Hey, I'm a First Class SOLDIER! Do you doubt my abilities? I'll take us back for sure!

Cloud nodded and closed his eyes. He was too tired to notice the affectionate look he got from his friend, and too mentally worn out to argue when Zack covered him with his own SOLDIER blanket. Every cloud has a silver lining, hasn't it?


	2. Chapter 2

Zack woke him at dawn, offering a bar from his ration. Cloud tried to protest, but then the older man warned, that if the cadet didn't eat by himself, Zack would have to feed him. That made it, and Cloud broke into a tiny shy smile, that made his friend grin contently.

After the so called breakfast was finished Cloud remembered something, and his mood dropped considerably.

-Zack… What about the first group? Did they fall into a trap too?

-Maybe… I couldn't get in touch with Genesis.

Cloud's shoulders dropped and he leaned against the wall. It was just too much for the petite blonde.

-No sulking, Spiky! I'm 97% sure that Gen is alive and kicking!

-How can you be so sure?

-Do you really think Genesis would let anyone spoil his image? I can imagine what that guy would do, if he broke a nail or something! I feel sorry for the suicides who attack him in his you'll-regret-that-you-ruined-my-haircut mode!

Cloud chuckled softly at the expression of horror Zack made at his last statement. Maybe, the boy really didn't need to worry. Genesis was Genesis after all. He could take care of himself.

The two moved out, Zack went first, relying on his SOLDIER senses, and Cloud followed three steps behind, covering his back. Though the cadet seriously doubted, that his presence really made any difference in Zack's safety level.

The path was pure torture for the boy, as no matter how hard he tried he couldn't move silently enough. Zack's steps were soft, he didn't touch branches that cracked or stones that could start rolling. In other words, Zack was a perfect scout.

Cloud hissed disappointedly, when he stepped on something, producing a loud screeching noise. It was 14th time already! How long could he be clumsy? He remembered a paragraph in one of his manuals that said humans could adapt fast. Obviously, he was not the case. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Cloud looked down to see what was it this time. To his surprise, he saw a small chitin plate under his boot. The boy picked it up carefully and quickly examined. Nothing unusual or strange, really. A plain dark blue plate, solid and smooth, as if it was grinded by water. Normally, the blonde would just throw it away, but this time he slipped the thing into his pocket and made a quick dash to catch up with Zack. Getting lost was not an option. Not in this forest and not with such monsters around.

By noon, Cloud was positively loathing himself, and no matter how hard Zack tried to reassure him, his mood was below zero. The older man looked rather irritated too, his sharp senses were a real nuisance in such a place. He heard thousands of sounds from birds singing to beetles crawling about and it was getting on his nerves. Why was there no switch in his head to turn the unwanted sounds off? He made a mental note to complain to Angeal about that as soon as they returned.

When they reached a large field, the two friends decided to have a break. According to Zack's map, they were in 24-hours-walk from the place where the groups were to be picked up. The SOLDIER stretched his legs and yawned, not caring about Cloud's deadly glare. Why was it so pleasant to get the kid's full attention by teasing him? Maybe Zack was a sadist after all…

The cadet, who was sitting under a large tree, decided to ignore his friend for now. Zack was Zack, and nothing could change his habit of teasing Cloud. In this kind of situation it was somehow…soothing. The boy smiled at his thoughts, unconsciously fiddling the chitin plate he pulled out of his pocket. The rhythmic movement allowed his thoughts to wander a bit more, and the boy thought of how easy it was to move in Nibelheim mountains. There he was at home and certainly wouldn't make such stupid noises. _Maybe, I should take Zack there and prove him that I'm not this useless._

Cloud was too absorbed in his thoughts to notice the contented smile on his friend's lips. Zack was glad Cloud's mood improved, and the SOLDIER could only hope that it was because of him. Zack gave an amused chuckle at the thought and ordered himself to stop being a pervert. Cloud had called him a pervert several times and Zack really wanted to prove him wrong. That was not that easy, though, as Angeal or Sephiroth stopped Zack every time he wanted to implement one of his brilliant plans. The men thought he would do something dangerous and stupid… Maybe, they were right to a certain degree, but that didn't prevent Zack from creating new plans!

Zack sighed and got up. If they wanted sleep in a relatively safe place, they had to move out. He gently touched Cloud's shoulder, smiling apologetically when the boy jumped in surprise.

-Time to go, Spiky.

The cadet gave his friend a half-hearted glare for scaring him, and got up. They had a long way to go, and there was a time-limit. Cloud didn't want to go through the dark forest even with a SOLDIER First Class nearby! Not for all tea in China!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Sorry, I had no time recently, so I'm kind of late with CH3. Hope you like it.

***

"Zack? How long this field goes?"

"According to the map we should have crossed it already."

"Brilliant. Just brilliant…"

"I didn't prolong the field, ya know!"

"Sure. You just read the map wrongly."

Zack sighed heavily, but then his face brightened. He could see the forest in the distance, which meant that they were not lost.

"Look, Spiky! I was right in the map-reading! We just went out of the forest in the wrong place! There is the forest!"

Cloud gave his friend a skeptical look and checked his rifle, which was as lucky as the cadet himself because it had avoided the plasm. Zack made an offended grimace and checked his own weapons.

The grass on the field was knee-long and made walking quite difficult, which considerably worried Cloud. The boy seriously doubted he could run there even if his life depended on it. The grass wasn't long on Nibelheim fields, there were few fields in the first place! Cloud desperately wanted to swear and had to bite his lips not to do it. Zack had good memory, and if they really got out of there_… No! When! When we get out of here!_ The SOLDIER would probably make Cloud take some lessons. The boy could only hope, that they would be good manners' lessons and not something…creepy. _Like intimidation lessons with Sephiroth or seduction lessons with Genesis!_

Cloud shivered earning a wary look from his friend. They were close to the forest and the cadet could already smell bark and moss. Cloud liked the scent of Nibelheim forests, it attracted the boy as if promising something magical. This one was different, though, too sharp and even hostile. _How can a smell be hostile? I read too many books…_Cloud shook his head concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other and not making too much noise in the process.

Suddenly, Zack froze on the spot, his whole form tense and his right hand on the hilt of the Buster Sword. Cloud almost bumped into him making a surprised gasp. The SOLDIER didn't even look at the boy, his violet eyes scanning both the forest and the field.

"Zack? Wha…"

"Cloud, RUN."

Acting on cadet instincts, Cloud fulfilled the order and dashed forward. Beside him the flash of blue swept the grass, which immediately caught fire. Heat licked the cadet's back and he sped up. As soon as he reached the forest, he turned to see what was happening. All field seemed to turn into blue-flamed hell. Zack, who seemed to be invulnerable, stood there deflecting the hits of a… Thing. Huge lion-like body was covered in blue chitin, its tail reminded some symbiosis of snake's and scorpion's, and it was trying to pierce Zack with a spike. The Thing had glowing green-blue eyes with no pupils and huge fangs which looked like they were poisonous. Not a kind of pet a normal person would dream about. _Well, Hojo dreams about it anyway…_

Cloud was sure Zack could handle that one, he was smiling after all. Key word being "one". Another Thing was approaching the SOLDIER from the back. Not thinking too much, the cadet threw off his rifle and positioned himself on the ground properly. He aimed and pulled the trigger. With a fruity smack the bullet pierced the second monster's eye. For a second nothing happened, but then the monster gave out a howl of pain and turned in Cloud's direction. For a split second the boys' baby blues met the glowing monster's orb… The cadet's breath hitched as the realization dawned on him. The beasts had intellect. That's why their groups had been trapped and that's why they were attacking them now. And that really sucked.

Meanwhile the one-eyed beast jumped in Clouds direction. _Not good… Not GOOD AT ALL!_ The cadet jumped on his feet and ran for his life feeling the bushes burning behind his back. Remembering everything he had been told in his life about running away from a monster (which really hadn't been that much) he zigzagged between the tree trunks, forcing his way through the thick greenery as fast as he could.

Cloud couldn't hear the beast because of the blood pumping in his ears, so he decided to look back for a second. It almost cost him his life, and not because of the monster. The boy almost ran off a precipice managing to somehow brake at the last moment. _That was damn close! _Cloud didn't even have time to catch his breath, though, as the nearest trees caught blue flame and his pursuer appeared only 20 meters away. His tail furiously whipped the air and the only eye was not promising anything good for the boy. Gathering all his courage Cloud turned his back to the monster and jumped with all strength left in his body after the run through the forest.

Cool air caressed his heated skin, playfully ruffling his hair, as the blonde's body flew gracefully to the other side. It felt as though Cloud had wings and could fly to the sun if he wanted. The cadet wondered if Zack, Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth felt like that when they were doing that way-too-cool somersaults during practice battles. He would ask them later for sure.

Cloud was concentrating on landing when sharp pain pierced his right shoulder. The boy cried out, forgetting that he was in midair and needed to land. He caught sight of the beast's spike sticking out of his body and blood soaking his uniform_. I guess I'm not made for flying…_

The last thing the cadet remembered were strong hands which caught him, and warm red leather.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm sorry for such a delay. Don't throw anything heavy at me. Silver Lining will end soon. There are only one or two chapters left, hehe. I'm working hard and the chapter's arrived late because I was ill. I still have a very annoying cough.

Hope you enjoy it! Read & Review!!!!

***

The sky was high and strange. Can the sky be this violet? In Nibelheim it could. When a fierce summer storm was about to come, huge clouds filled with rain clutched to the mountain tops. They were waiting for the perfect timing to go down and catch people off guard. But Cloud always knew. Nobody believed him, but still he was never wrong about the storms. He warned his mother in advance, and she listened to him. She was the only one he could trust completely, the only one to love him. The forests of Nibelheim loved him too. They didn't save him from loneliness, though.

The sky moved closer. Was he flying? No, Cloud was certain that he couldn't fly. _And does the sky usually have irises?_

Then the sky disappeared and reappeared, but this time it was mako-green and glowing._ This one has ireses too… Did I miss something?_

"Strife! Stop staring at me and come to your senses!"

"Eh?"

Cloud wasn't staring, and what was wrong in staring at the sky anyway? _And when did the sky start talking?_ The boy made an attempt to jump and salute but was caught midway and laid back. The green sky frowned disapprovingly and the next moment was pushed away by the returning violet one, which started talking at a speed inaccessible to human ears.

He cadet closed his eyes miserably and searches for any remnants of logic in his head. Finding none, he dared to look at the violet sky again and was deafened by "Spikyyyy!!! You are so cute when you are alive!"

"Have you seen me when I was dead to compare, Zack?"

"Actually, yeah, I did. Four hours ago."

"Oh… And…how did I look?"

"Not good. Don't want to see a dead you ever again. You lose all your chockobo charm, really!"

Cloud sighed and decided against killing the Puppy immediately and to wait until his powers come back. He was taking in his surroundings, not paying attention to Zack's playful grin.

He was under a standard cadet tent, lying on some king of bedding made from fir twigs and covered by a blanket. There were two lean figures standing near his so-called bed, looking at him with the kind of joy which appears only after the person almost have been killed by some creepy thing. _Speaking of which…_

"Zack, you killed that thing! But I was flying and then the thing and I fell and…"

"Wow, easy Spiky!"

"But!"

"I caught you."

Cloud bit his tongue and looked at the man standing next to Zack. The dream of every human and not-exactly-human beings in the company. The only one who is allowed to pull pranks on Sephiroth. One and only. Genesis.

"Sir, you are alive! I mean, thank you for saving me!"

Genesis nodded and smirked mischievously. He suddenly appeared right in front of the boy, piercing him to the bed with an intent look. He soon realized, though, that Cloud's scared eyes were not the thing that could be easily forgotten. The Commander already felt like he was a rogue who had drowned at least a hundred puppies and kittens and abused children. With a heavy sigh Genesis ruffled the boy's hair.

"You acted quite bravely, and I have to praise you for the shot. It was professional."

"Oh, thank you, sir!...May I ask a question?"

"Sure."

"Your group haven't been ambushed? Have you met any more monsters? How far away are we from the picking point? Can we contact the headquarters?"

Cloud stopped to breathe some air and already opened his mouth to continue, when a warm hand covered his mouth. The boy was in a shock state for several seconds, watching the Commander with eyes as wide as plates.

"Be patient and breathe properly. Your body needs everything, but air starving right now. I'll answer your questions one by one and you have to lie and listen."

The cadet nodded and settled comfortably on the bedding. Genesis nodded and gave Zack a stern look, making him go out and checking the surroundings. Cloud tracked his friend's way to the entrance with worried eyes and shivered.

"We were also ambushed. There are three cadet survivors from my group. I personally met three of that things which attacked you. We are in 6-hours walk from the picking point, the helicopter will be waiting for us in twelve hours. I had a talk with Hojo, the mission will be considered successful if we bring him the specimen of the monster's tissues."

Cloud listened carefully, absorbing the information. The Commander looked rather grim when he talked about the new mission target, but the boy couldn't understand why. It was easy to take the samples, wasn't it? Genesis and Zack could kill the beasts and take any part they liked to present it to Hojo. He raised a questioning gaze to the man in front of him.

"Then everything is ok? You killed the monsters, right?"

"It's not so easy, Spiky."

Zack's head appeared in the entrance and Genesis glared at him half-heartedly. The boy needed an encouragement from a friend after all. Cloud looked from one SOLDIER to another not understanding what was happening.

"The deal is that the monsters' bodies self-destroy the moment we kill it. The only way is to get the tissues while it's still alive."

"Oh…"

That explained everything, but… _We're doomed. _Then, the cadet looked at the two confident SOLDIERs and reconsidered. Maybe, The devil is not so black as he is painted after all_._


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Well, that was quick. The last chapter will arrive soon. This one has a lot of action) I really enjoyed writing it! I can only hope that you'll like it too!

Oh, and, please, I really need your reviews! They inspire me! So... R&R!!!

***

The four cadets and two SOLDIERs were standing in the middle of a clearing not far from the glade, from which they were to be picked. The helicopters would arrive in 5 hours (at 10 p.m.), so they had to complete the mission before the rescue team would be hit with the devastating plasma. The plan was rather simple: the monster sees a lonely edible human bait and tries to catch him. The bait runs to the ambush, where the rest are hiding. And the tissues are taken!

_Yeah, simple. Sure. But not if the details are entrusted to Zack!_ The SOLDIER was smiling happily, obviously too proud of himself to notice one skeptical and four deadly glares aimed at him. No one wanted to be the bait, the instinct for self-preservation in each of the cadets screamed for them to get away from this maniac with perverted imagination as fast as they could.

Finally, Zack stopped grinning and shared his plan with the rest of the group.

"Ok, have any of you read the story called "Beauty and the Beast"? This is going to be just the same!"

Earning shocked stares from the boys, the man almost choked with laughter, which he desperately tried to suppress. When he finally got some air, he gave them a sly look.

"Oh, come on guys! It's easy, believe me! First of all the bait needs to be attractive! We want our Beast to follow the Beauty!"

In the silence that came after those words Cloud began to hate his friend. The three other cadets and one _idiot_ SOLDIER were looking at him and the Commander. The blonde felt his face going red and heard how Genesis uttered something obviously unprintable.

"Fair, your praise flatters me and I very well know that I'm irresistible, but I will _never_ be the bait. In this situation it will be a waste of my abilities."

"Well, Gen, if you are so unapproachable, then we don't have a choice."

Cloud paled and stared at Zack with horror-filled eyes. His lips were trembling, and he looked like he was going to cry.

"Spiky, you don't need to worry! I'll be the Prince in Shining Armor that will save you from any danger!"

"I'm no beauty. I'm not edible. I taste bad! The monster won't like me! I'm not attractive, damn it!!!"

"Hmm? Alright… Guys! Who thinks that Cloud is pretty?"

Five raised hands including Zack's. The blue-eyed boy moaned. He positively hated his life. _Why me? Why it's always me?!_

Forty minutes (and millions of dead nerve cells for Cloud) later, the ambush was ready and the operation "Beauty and the Beast" _(stupid, stupid, stupid Zack!!!) _started. The boy was walking through the forest to where supposedly was the "Beast". He had been instructed to produce as much noise as he could. _Well, at least I don't have to worry about being quiet… _Cloud shook his head and kicked a huge log covered in yellow moss. The boy glared at it and proceeded into the thicklet. The roots were sticking out everywhere, and Cloud did his best not to trip.

Suddenly, a bird gave out a loud squeak; the boy jumped and stumbled, losing his balance. The cadet waved his hands desperately and fell into the nearby thorn bush with loud snapping of twigs. Cloud sweared and with an annoyed sigh got onto his knees. When he lifted his head, though, he discovered that he was not alone anymore. Large glowing eyes were looking at him, a giant chitin-covered head merely inches apart. Cloud's mouth opened.

"Eh, hello?"

Obviously, the "Beast" was not as good mannered as he had been in the story. It gnashed its teeth and prepared to jump. _So, it finds me pretty edible too…_

Cloud jumped to his feet and dashed. The boy could swear that it was the best speed he had ever shown in his life. The twigs and spikes caught on his uniform, the greenery blocking the view. The cadet jumped over the roots and logs, hearing only blood pumping into his ears and feeling the monster behind him. Strange as it was, Cloud wasn't afraid. The fear left him as soon as he met the beast's eyes. Now he felt the excitement of the pursuit, the adrenaline running through his veins, and for a second he thought that it was fun. _I won't tell that to Zack, though. _

The blonde reached the little cutting that led straight to the ambush and sped up. Just a little more! However, the beast had another plans. It slowed down and lifted its tail to shoot a spike at his prey. Cloud's intuition screamed like mad and he turned abruptly to the left. His muscles strained almost reaching their limit, the speed making the turn almost impossible for a human.

The spike swished near his shoulder, hit the tree and stuck there. It was almost 20 inch long (twice as big as the one that had pierced Cloud earlier), and the boy really didn't want to know what would have happened if the thing had hit him. He made his legs move, regaining some of his speed and zigzagged, his small form blurring in the twilight. The monster roared and spit a spurt of plasma, which set the trees and bushes on fire. As heat licked his back, Cloud remembered his teammates from the second group. The same heat that had taken their lives. Remembered the ones who hadn't been lucky enough. The ones who died because of that thing and its kind!

_No way I__'ll lose to that murderer! _The boy's eyes flashed with fury, a fresh wave of energy washing through his body, making him as quick as a lightning. It looked as if his feet didn't touch the ground at all. Finally, Cloud reached the clearing where everything had been set for the last showdown. The cadet crossed the glade and stopped. He heard the monster's low growl and the sound of its tail whizzing through the air. Cloud slowly turned around and looked straight into its eyes.

Suddenly, a strong warm hand settled on his shoulder. A confident voice rang through the forest air.

"Fear not, my beloved Beauty. Your Prince Charming is here to save you."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N It took me looong enough for you to kill me. Please, don't? I'm very sorry, but I have my semester final exams, and they are really hard! So, enjoy) I hope the end of the story didn't disappoint you! And, of course, Read & Review!!!

"That last hit would have been deadly if you have been more precise. That's why I've got a question. Lieutenant, do you have any brains at all?"

"Hey, I don't deserve such treatment! I'm the Prince Charming for our Beauty!"

"More like Prince Idiot…"

"You are so cold, Spiky! Your words tear my soul and make my heart bleed!"

"Speaking of which, we should cut the beast's paw and take its blood."

"No, we'd better to take its eye!"

"Sorry, Fair, but if you try to take the eye I'm quite sure that you'll take the beast's head off just by accident, and the body will self destruct once again."

"But its blood burns if away from the body for 5 minutes!"

"Sir, can I have a word?"

"Sure."

"The blood burns because of the contact with oxygen, so if it is kept within an airtight capsule it can be stored."

Three cadets and two SOLDIERs looked at the beast, which was held in place by numerous cords, and turned their thoughtful looks to the blond, who shifted nervously under their gases.

"Spiky, have anyone told you, that you are a genius?" the serious look on Zack's face wasn't convincing because of the golden flickers of laughter deep in the violet eyes.

"Eh? No, nobody."

"An oversight indeed."

Cloud blushed a little at the Commander's compliment and almost jumped when other cadets patted him in approval. He wasn't used to be the center of attention, nor was he used to be praised or to be caller a genius. That felt good, the boy had a warm knot somewhere below his heart and the pain in his tired muscles seemed to fade away.

"So, the copter is to come in 15 minutes, we have to hurry and take the samples."

The cadets backed away as Genesis unsheathed his sword and swung it playfully, preparing to shed some blood. With one swift blow he made a rather deep, but not lethal wound on the beast's breast, easily cutting through its chitin shell. The thing howled and tried to jump at the man, but the cords didn't bulge. Zack carefully approached the monster and filled the prepared capsule with the thick dark-blue substance. The SOLDIER stayed near the thing's head a bit longer just to tease it, but quickly jumped away, as the sharp canines pierced the air just millimeters from his shoulder. With an offended cry, Zack hid behind Cloud's back (he had to bend considerably) and showed the beast his tongue.

"He tried to eat me!"

"And that's my Prince Charming… Yeah, perfect."

"Aww! You are so mean! You…"

"Fair, five minutes!"

"Oh, right. Move it, cadets, or the copter will leave us here! You don't want to be some hot dog for these blue chitin guys?"

"Sir, no, Sir!"

The cadets' decision was unanimous to Zack's amusement, and he was smiling with glee all the way to the pick point.

The low vibrating sound of the helicopter's blades was like music for the tired cadets' ears. The heavy machine stopped its descend and hovered above the ground as the survivors climbed in. Cloud gave a surprised yelp when he was all but thrown into the copter by the Commander and caught by Zack._ Am I a potato sack or something to be thrown like this?_ Both Zack and Genesis, however, found the blonde's pouting face quite funny. The SOLDIER was sitting with a wide grin _(He would break his jaw one day…)_ and the Commander had a very, VERY mischievous look on his face. Suddenly, Cloud heard some giggles from his fellow cadets and blushed madly, trying to curl in on himself and become completely invisible. Which caused Zack's grin to widen (if that was even possible), Genesis's eves to glint _(He plots something! I know it! Scary…)_ and the other cadets to laugh even more.

Poor blonde decided to ignore them. He knew that he was surrounded by perverts, he simply couldn't get used to it. Slowly, he relaxed into the uncomfortable seat, allowing his thoughts to drift to the now completed mission. He had survived, but his fellows hadn't. Was it fair? No. But life wasn't fair anyway. Would he miss them? Yes. Despite their treatment and pranks, they had still been his team.

Cloud didn't notice the descend until the red head of their pilot showed in their compartment and Reno announced that they could "move their asses out of his baby, yo!"

But as soon as Zack had the chance to jump out the exit was blocked by a white figure of a man, whose eyes shone with barely restrained madness. Professor Hojo just couldn't wait until his samples were brought to him.

"Where are they? Where are the tissues?!"

No one had the time to answer when the man's eyes spotted the capsule, and he grabbed it, holding it close to his heart. He exited the copter without saying anything, examining the liquid. Zack and Cloud exchanged wary looks and hurried out. The blonde's legs touched the ground and he quickly moved to the side to give way to others. He noticed a group of men that were approaching them. General Sephiroth was the head of the group, Angeal walking to the right, and Tseng taking the left side.

The blonde's ears caught a frightened gasp, and as he turns his head to look he heard Zack's scream.

"No, professor, don't… (a loud poof)… open… the capsule…"

Cloud watched helplessly at the blue flame which went up from the opened vial. He couldn't believe it. He watched numbly how Genesis explained to the General and others what had just happened. How Hojo smashed the vial and its fragments glittered on the floor. He noticed how the faces turned grim and angry.

_Hojo… He… That means we failed the mission. Our groups were destroyed for nothing. They all died for nothing! My comrades sacrificed their lives for some madman who… who! Damn it! The real murderer is Hojo! Why? Why did they have to die because of him?!_

Cloud shuddered. He felt his eyes fill with tears and clenched his fists. The boy felt the need to struggle the man, to make him pay for all that he had done. His hands reached blindly to his pockets in search for something that would make the bastard suffer. He finally found something when _Wha…?_ Small smooth object in his pocket was not a weapon, but… _Could it be? I didn't throw it away?_

The boy approached the men, who were now arguing loudly. Obviously, Hojo demanded for another group to be sent. Cloud coughed and almost jumped at the immediate silence that followed. He was met by deadly glares, most of which softened considerably as they recognized him.

"Cadet Strife?"

The General's tone was stern, but still mildly encouraging.

"Eh, I'm sorry, Sir, but I need to ask Professor Hojo about something."

"This is not the best time to do it, really."

"It's very important, Sir!"

Cloud bravely approached the professor and pulled something from his pocket.

"Can this be a sample of the tissues?"

Everyone in the room were now looking at a small dark-blue chitin plate on the cadet's palm. Hojo's breath hitched as he snatched the plate from Cloud and examined it.

"This is it! A perfect sample! Finally!"

With this he almost ran out of the hangar, followed by his assistants, leaving Cloud in shock state.

"Well, well. It looks like the Puppy's Chockobo is the hero of the day!"

"Hey! Spiky is the Beauty! And I am his Hero!"

"I'll tell you later, Angeal. You can listen too, if you are interested, Sephiroth, my friend."

"I have a feeling, that I shouldn't miss this story no matter what, Genesis."

Cloud was now blushing madly, trying to kill Zack so that no one would notice and save him. It was quite hard to do, though, because he was strangled by said Lieutenant Fair under the amused looks of Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth. Reno's hysteric laughter was heard from somewhere near the copter, and smiling Tseng didn't even move a finger to calm him down.

Small unwanted smile appeared on the blonde's face. _Out of the frying pan into the fire… My live is hell again. Zack is embarrassing me out of my wits, and Genesis is plotting something. I'm sure that he will be able to talk both Angeal and Sephiroth into it too…All in all, it's good to be home!_

_**The End**  
_


End file.
